1/20/09

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Nanoclays are nanoparticles of layered mineral silicates. Depending on chemical composition and nanoparticle morphology, nanoclays are organized into several classes such as montmorillonite, bentonite, kaolinite, hectorite, and halloysite. Organically-modified nanoclays (organoclays) are an attractive class of hybrid organic-inorganic nanomaterials with potential uses in polymer nanocomposites, as rheological modifiers, gas absorbents and drug delivery carriers.Halloysite is a naturally occurring aluminosilicate nanotube. The two-layer halloysite tubes are chemically similar to kaoline and have average dimensions of 15 × 1000 nm comparable to carbon nanotubes. Halloysite tubes are hollow and can be used for controlled delivery and release of drugs as well as nanocomposite and rheology modification applications.